News/Announcements

Ryan was destined for a life of disadvantage. Mum's drinking while pregnant caused fetal alcohol syndrome, and he was born with an intellectual disability into a dysfunctional family in a rural town.

Well behind from the first seconds of life, Ryan was exposed to physical and possibly sexual abuse as a child, was in state care from 11 and using alcohol and drugs in his teens. Now 21, he has been diagnosed with ADHD and has the literacy skills of a prep.

Expressing our emotional needs can be a tricky business. I’m autistic, and I know that it can take a lot of work. And, as Brisbane mother and full-time carer Magenta Quinn learned late last month, a neighbour demanding peace and quiet can be harder to help than a child on the autism spectrum.

Ms Quinn’s neighbour, who "wished to remain anonymous to avoid any conflict", threatened to call the council if something wasn't done about her autistic son, who hums, moans and yelps to soothe himself.

Three childcare workers have been stripped of their accreditation, with one convicted of assault, after a six-year-old child with autism was smacked and had soap put in their mouth as a form of punishment.

Kathleen Burton was charged with aggravated common assault after the incident on December 14 last year.

“He is wired differently to you and me, this child of mine. He doesn’t like loud noises, or dark spaces, or strangers touching his head”. These are the first lines from a poem a mother penned about her son 11-year-old son who has Asperger’s syndrome.

My 10-year-old son can change from an adorable, quirky little dude to an aggressive screamer in a second. He sinks so far, so fast, that I forget about his strengths and drown in his weaknesses. I wish I could make it stop.

HE was dux of his Year 12 class, is starting a double degree in law and international relations, and wants to be a prosecutor — yet as a young boy growing up with Asperger’s, Connor Pangallo couldn’t stand school.

CONNOR Pangallo was dux of his Year 12 class, is embarking on a double degree in law and international relations, and has his sights set on becoming a prosecutor.

Autism! We've all heard the word, but what is Autism and how much do we really know and understand about it?

For kiwi father James Smith, bringing a unique book to New Zealand to promote the understanding and awareness of Autism was a way of helping others like his son Zachary (6) who was diagnosed as being on the Autism spectrum when he was just three years old.

A BRISBANE mum says she was shocked to receive an anonymous letter from a neighbour complaining about noises coming from her autistic son.

Magenta Quinn found the letter at her Mount Ommaney home on Monday.

“When you moved in we heard these strange moaning and shouting coming from your garden every day and night, for which we were concerned may be illegal activities, so we contacted the police who in turn have visited your premises,” the letter said.

Parents of children with severe disabilities in NSW are "terrified" they could lose access to around-the-clock care due to a funding stoush between the State Government and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

About 1,000 children with disabilities access voluntary out-of-home care across the state, including overnight respite services and residential placements.

Albany will be the first town in Australia to trial an autism alert card.

The card will help authorities and emergency service providers to better understand people with autistic behaviour, as most patients find it difficult to communicate with others about their disability, particularly during an emergency.

The card will also have two emergency contact numbers of the card holder.

Great Southern Police District Superintendent Dominic Wood said the card would provide better security to those with autism.